Secure Care for High Risk Youth

["radicalredux" <praxis1@xxxxxxxx>]

List assistance and input is sought with respect to the recommendations of
British Columbia's "Report of the Secure Care Working Group". This group was
established in February 1998, "to provide advice on whether the ministry
(Ministry for Children and Families)  should develop options for secure
treatment of high risk children and youth in British Columbia." 

The full version of their report is available at www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/pubs/securecare_index.html

I would request any and all comment on the following from the report: 

>>There is currently a small group of children and youth in BC who are at
extremely high risk of harm usually through drug use and/or sexual
exploitation and a range of related problems, and who are at the same time
extremely resistant to service. With no explicit legal ability to hold these
children and youth, service providers are unable to provide the support and
care that will  protect them from further harm and, in some cases, death. In
extreme cases service providers are finding ways to hold children in custody
under the YOung Offenders Act or in hospital under the Mental Helath Act but
this does not necessarily provide the appropriate service for those children
and youth.

The working group therefore believes that a safe care option is required in BC
as part of a continuum of services and linked to a comprehensive high-risk
youth strategy., to ensure that these children and youth receive the care and
support that they need.>>

Please forward to any who you feel may wish input.  Any and all responses are welcome.